Heart disease is never just heart disease, yet our healthcare system too often treats you like a patient rather than a person. Indeed, health is more than medical – it’s also social, financial, and emotional. I’ve had 2 open-heart surgeries and hundreds of healthcare encounters as a heart patient. I’m also a health professional with training in aging, biology, and religion. I draw from my personal experiences and my professional expertise to offer a simple playbook for a better life by helping you be an active participant, not a passive recipient, in your medical care.